Climbing Team INtroduction

Climbing is one of the fastest growing and most exciting youth sports in the world, and now that it is an Olympic event, the future for youth participation and development is brighter than ever. Climbing provides valuable and unique experiences for young athletes, teaching them to how to stay calm and focus their attention in demanding situations.

Climbing is also a community sport that thankfully lacks the cutthroat competitiveness of other sports. Even at national level events, competitors genuinely cheer for each other and hope that each athlete will do their very best. Locally, living along the Wasatch Front provides unique experiences for young climbers, as this area has some of the best climbing resources in the world and the Salt Lake City climbing community has done much to advance the sport.

Our coaching staff has been selected based on their skill as teachers and ability to work well with both groups and individuals. They put the emotional well-being and development of each athlete first, knowing the great performances come from confident, happy athletes who believe in themselves and their abilities. For all these reasons and more, The Front is the very best place for kids to come discover, learn about, and fall in love with climbing.

Organization

The Front Ogden Climbing Team is divided into two tracks; a Recreational Team and a Competitive Team. The Competitive Team has two separate seasons, Fall (ABS Climbing Season) and Winter (SCS Climbing Season). The ABS is a faction of USA Climbing, the governing body over competitive climbing in the United States.

Recreational Team

The recreational team is for kids who have caught the climbing bug and want to make it a weekly activity. The recreation team is a fun way for climbers to develop their climbing skills and increase their climbing level.

The rec team develops technical skills such as those needed for roped climbing and also develops fundamental skills of climbing movement in a fun supportive environment. The team’s goal is for kids to develop skills and interest in the sport while enjoying the satisfaction that comes with developing as an athlete.

Competitive Team

Our competitive climbing team is for youth that show real enthusiasm and aptitude for climbing. Team members compete at the local, national and international levels including the national and world championships. While competitions provide the context for the team, our goals are to foster athletic and emotional development for all team members, developing a strong community, and to have fun in the process!

The comp team is a place where athletes deepen their appreciation and understanding of advanced climbing skills including technical skills such as on-sight and redpoint climbing, motor skills including the initiation and timing of climbing’s complex movements, and emotional skills such as staying calm in demanding high-pressure situations.

The coaching staff makes use of cutting-edge tools such as video analysis on a daily basis to help team members be successful in these areas. The comp team also engages in sport specific training so that they are technically, emotionally, and athletically ready for the unique challenges of climbing. We love helping these gifted athletes develop in these ways, and seeing them grow as people.

Meet The Coaches

Brenna KingRec Team Coach

I am ecstatic to be coaching at The Front in Ogden! I love working with children and helping others find their passions. I grew up in Orem, Utah and moved to Ogden to run the 400 Hurdles for Weber State where I am currently earning my degree in Outdoor Recreation Education. I am in love with Utah and all of the amazing outdoor opportunities including canyoneering, backpacking, skiing, and of course climbing! I grew up with my family going to the local gym on occasion, but my interest really sparked when a friend took me climbing outside for the first time in Rock Canyon. That friend later proposed tied to the end of a rope in Keyhole Canyon in Zion National Park. My love for climbing grew when my husband convinced me that we needed a pass at The Front. As we have climbed regularly, it has been incredibly exciting to see improvement, have an escape, be active, and explore various crags. I intend to share my love of climbing with the Recreational Team by encouraging self improvement, hard work, and most importantly—PASSION!

David RobbRec Team Coach

I was born and bred in the Wasatch Mountains and raised on a steady diet of hiking, mountain biking, skiing, fishing, trail running, and, best of all, climbing. I enjoy all aspects of climbing from bouldering and sport climbing to big walls and ice. I am the author of the Ogden Area Climbing Guide and have over 25 years of climbing experience. I spent several years working in the outdoor industry where I organized gear demos, taught climbing classes, and coached youth climbing teams before becoming a high school teacher. The best part of coaching the Rec Team at The Front is combining my two biggest passions: climbing and teaching.